Journals and essays from the life of a quintessential Englishman
1913-2006

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Monday 4th February 1935

Sunny, spring like. Larks singing above the green Medes…

I sat on a fence at lunchtime with Jones, eating sandwiches.

4.30. Straight to town by road. Stopped for a snack at Hounslow; reached the Poly. at 6 o’clock and had time for a thorough wash before the lecture began.

A pretty girl student in the class. Newcomer. Blue eyes. As we waited for our sodium sulphate solution to crystallise, Duffy (my partner) and I discussed her. I wagered sixpence I’d speak to her first (no easy matter in a chemmy class). As I slapped my stake down on the bench, the lecturer came along and asked what the bet was. Squarely I told him it was a little wager about the crystallisation. He then called the new student across to see the experiment! Two minutes later I had redeemed my stake.